


chase you down until you love me.

by reinwrites



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Sexual Tension, how does one tag?, inspired by lady gaga's paparazzi!, model! haechan, more tags to be added with chapters ;], photographer! mark, set in New York!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-14
Updated: 2020-07-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:00:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24714235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reinwrites/pseuds/reinwrites
Summary: Mark had always been infatuated with Donghyuck even from behind the camera lens. He'd risk it all even if it meant to chase him down until he loved him.
Relationships: Kim Jungwoo/Wong Yuk Hei | Lucas, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added
Comments: 9
Kudos: 50





	1. need that picture of you, it's so magical.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "It is more important to click with people than to click the shutter." - Alfred Eisenstaedt.
> 
> NOW PLAYING ♪: Paparazzi - Lady Gaga.  
> [ spotify link! ](https://open.spotify.com/track/4VGCzdlF2Swumt5DBEFPQR?si=Bo_Aik12TPyOaGJfLxp59g)  
> [ youtube link! ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3k_r56floA)

Lee Donghyuck was, according to Mark Lee, “ _the only boy who could make my heart drop fifteen floors.”_ What was there not to love about the well-respected model? His proportions? His ability to improvise poses out of his mind? Everyone loved him but the paparazzi loved him even more. Constantly in and out of troubled relationships gave him the prime spot of the front page of the Times, Mark’s best profiter. 

He leant up against the metal barrier, camera swinging around his neck and a grumbling stomach. Every other notable name had already posed for the cameras and walked into the building but Donghyuck? He hadn’t even shown up yet and he was the main person in the show. Mark rolled his eyes at the other photographers' impatience, cursing his famous name. They didn’t know Donghyuck like he did, he didn’t know that he always ran late - it was normal. 

Mark had been following Donghyuck for years - watching him turn from rookie to a global phenomenon. He was obsessed with the golden boy and his chaotic life, jealous at the fact he could be recognised by the world and Mark, well, only to be hidden in the shadows of his photographs. Some days he’d dream about being in pictorials with the boy, the feeling of them modeling together could take away some of the desire to just be around him. 

“There he is!” A man shouted as the crowd started to push up against the barrier, squishing a small mark. Slowly, he pulled his camera up to his eye, looking through the lens and zooming towards the car that had just arrived. His heart started to race quickly as the door opened, showing the familiar boy with a small smile on his face. Mark slowly lowered the camera, starstruck by the boy’s beauty. He gracefully stood up from the car and it was as if time stopped. The first step he took was in slow motion, the flashes from the other cameras were leisurely fading and Mark’s eyes followed the boy’s every move. He walked like a god, everyone moved for him and they let him have the spotlight. The red carpet had his name all over it as he moved swiftly towards the paparazzi section. 

It wasn’t until someone fell on top of Mark that he realised exactly where he was and what he was supposed to be doing. “Watch it kid!” The man shoved, pushing Mark back into the barrier with a loud scrape of his camera against the metal. The sound made him cringe as he quickly lifted the camera back to his left eye - the lucky eye. He pressed quickly on the button to try and snap a few wide shots and angles but he was blocked by everyone else.

That was the thing about being a photographer for celebrities. Everyone wanted a perfect picture to sell to the news outlets and they’d do anything to get it and cash in off it. Mark knew about the industry but he’d rather keep the photos to himself in case of private buyers which is how he met The New York Times newspaper. They don’t ask for much except a few snaps of Lee Donghyuck for their monthly editorial ‘ _What’s On!”_ section. Most of the photographers here were some that he was already familiar with - old, pushy and pissed off. One that stood out was Qian Kun, an expert photographer known for the scandalous photo revealing actor Wong Lucas and singer, Kim Jungwoo’s hidden relationship. Apparently he got a huge payout and bought a mansion but Mark didn’t care about his assets and he really didn’t care about it. 

“Donghyuck over here!” Kun shouted, raising his arm up as Donghyuck looked off to the other side away from him. “Donghyuck, here!” He continued to stutter the flash of the camera before he grunted and held his camera in the air, trying to move to a better position. “Mark, move.” He scoffed, shoving Mark to the side. 

“No.” He said as he stood still within his place. 

“I said move!” Kun pushed Mark into another group of photographers, losing his balance and falling straight onto his ass. He furrowed his forehead as the other onlookers helped him up. Mark watched as Kun tried to reach out to Donghyuck again. “Straight at the camera, Donghyuck.” He was expecting Donghyuck to pose for him but he never did, he simply laughed and walked away towards where Mark stood. 

“Take your shots, pretty boy. I’m right here.” He flirted with a small smirk on his lips. Mark needed to be pinched, he felt like he was dreaming. 

“Kiddo, this is your chance.” One of the photographers said, helping him lift up his camera to his eye. In the lens stood the boy of his dreams, the one he always had time for and the one who was doing this for him. He didn’t realise that Lee Donghyuck was right in front of him, morphing his body into his go-to poses with a smirk on his face. It was with a small zone that Mark realised the light brown shade blended into the creases of his eye with a light sparkle that shimmered with every flash from the camera. 

The boy smiled, dancing around posing for Mark’s shots like he was in a nightclub on 10th Avenue. He could tell the model was having fun - the time of his life even before he was pulled out of Mark’s shot by a strong hand. 

He watched the altercation between the man and Donghyuck who had gritted his teeth back at him. With one last look, he waved back as he was dragged into the venue. That moment, that was when Mark truly let go of the breath he had been holding. 

✰

“He looks so majestic.” Jeno said in awe as he looked through Mark’s camera. “How does he even look that good?” He whispered, “If I did any of these poses, I’d look like a blurry ghost.” 

Mark raised his eyebrow, “Funny.” He took the camera out of the boy’s hand and connected it to the laptop - the pictures syncing. “Cause, I agree with you.” Jeno looked confused, gesturing to his head. 

“Donghyuck?” He asked and Mark shook his head. He tried again, “Me looking like a ghost?” Mark hummed. “Rude.” 

“You had it coming.” He laughed, transferring the files into a separate folder on his hard drive. As he watched the laptop, he felt a few pokes come from beside him. “What?” He asked, looking at Jeno’s funny face. 

“Do you think he recognises you?” Jeno said dreamily, “I mean, you’ve been around since the start of his career! He’s bound to know who you are.” 

“He doesn’t and I just have to accept that I’m just some paparazzi wannabe fanboying over New York’s most talented model.” Mark sighed as the file completed moving and shut the laptop’s lid. 

“Sure, Mark. Sure he doesn’t know who you are! You took most of his best paparazzi photos! He has to know who you are.” 

“But, he doesn’t.” Mark finished the conversation, hopping off of his bed and walking out. 

“You’re such a liar!” Jeno yelled from the bedroom as Mark rolled his eyes playfully - maybe Donghyuck truly did know who he was, maybe he wasn’t the only one who felt something. 

✰

“I hate them.” Johnny threw the photos back onto the desk. Mark was shocked. Those photos were some of the best he had ever taken and usually Johnny was more than impressed with his work! 

“May I ask why?” He said, arms folded over in the tacky desk chair. 

“It’s not what we wanted.” He said, pushing the photos towards Mark. 

“What did you want then?” Mark challenged back with his eyebrows raised and ruthless attitude. 

“Classic shots, preferably serious and with equal body proportions. Not your stupid editorial ametur summer shots.” 

“Whatever, did you find someone for the page already?” He asked, worriedly. If he couldn’t get this page, there was a possibility that he wouldn’t be able to make the money for the week which he desperately needed for groceries. 

“Yeah, Qian Kun gave a promising picture for the page.” Mark scoffed at the name. 

“Fuck.” Mark whispered angrily under his breath. 

“I’m sorry? Is there a problem?” Johnny leant over and asked Mark but he shook his head with a plastered fake smile on his face. 

“No! No! Everything is okay! Uh, thank you for your time.” Mark sweeped the photos of the desk and ran towards the door. Once he was out, he leant against the wall in the corridor and hit his head back against the wall. “Are you fucking kidding me?” He whined, clutching the photos tighter in his chest. “How am I ever gonna get his attention now?” 

He heard a small laugh before two arms trapped him against the wall, “Oh, but you already have.” Mark’s breath got caught in his throat as an ethereal Lee Donghyuck stood in front of him, smirking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please feel free to leave your thoughts, kudos or bookmark if you'd like! ♡♡  
> please continue to look after yourselves and stay optimistic! 
> 
> love always, rein ♡
> 
> [ twitter! ](https://twitter.com/reniewrites)  
> [ curious cat! (cc) ](https://curiouscat.me/reniewrites)


	2. i'm your biggest fan.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark finds opportunities come when you least expect them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "When I have a camera in my hand, I have no fear." - Alfred Eisenstaedt.
> 
> NOW PLAYING ♪: Paparazzi - Lady Gaga.  
> [ spotify link! ](https://open.spotify.com/track/4VGCzdlF2Swumt5DBEFPQR?si=Bo_Aik12TPyOaGJfLxp59g)  
> [ youtube link! ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3k_r56floA)

To be trapped and pinned up against the wall by Lee Donghyuck was something Mark had only thought about in his wildest dreams. Hell, he hadn’t even thought getting closer to Donghyuck than the paparazzi barrier was possible at this point. 

“What’s got you flustered cutie?” The model clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth, raising his eyebrow. Mark sucked his bottom lip as he watched the boy come closer and closer to where he stood. “I hope I didn’t catch you in a rush.” He whispered, reaching for the series of prints held tightly in Mark’s hand. 

“No, no, n-!’ Donghyuck had taken the prints, leaving a shocked Mark. His reaction was hard to read as he would shuffle the five photos, eyes scanning over each one. He even swore to himself that he saw his bottom lip trapped within his teeth as he looked over one - Mark’s favourite one.

“I didn’t know you had an eye for photographing pretty boys?” He wasn’t that oblivious to notice the advances Donghyuck had been trying to make on him although in the end, they still worked. The hand that brushed against his when he gave back the pictures, the subtle wink when he’d brush his bangs away from his face - all left him breathless and wanting nothing more than to just confess the affection he’s had for the longest time. He just wished it was so easy to say how much he loved him or how much of an impact he’s had on the boy’s life - but for Mark, it wasn’t. 

“I-i reall-” He started as Donghyuck held a hand over his mouth and tackled him in a hug. 

“Just go with it.” The model whispered as he started to move his hands in Mark’s hair and behind his back. Mark's eyes darted to look anywhere other than the boy’s innocent ones looking up at him. Lee Donghyuck was hugging him, _The Lee Donghyuck?_ His own celebrity crush was pressed up against him. It stayed like that for a few minutes as several people passed down the corridor before the boy pushed himself off of Mark. “Thanks, after that - I seriously owe you a favour.” 

“Huh?” He was confused but Donghyuck’s smirk had found its way back onto the boy’s lips. 

“Keep an eye out baby.” Donghyuck whispered, walking away backwards from their little run in. “Miss me.” He blew a kiss from where he was further down the hall before he turned around and strutted off around the corner. 

Mark just wanted to run after the boy and pin him against the nearest wall to kiss him senseless but, Mark wasn’t that confident in himself. Tightening the pictures in his hand, he turned around on his heels and walked away knowing that sure, he may have won with Donghyuck but he still lost to Kun. He was always going to lose to Kun. 

✰

“So, you’re telling me? You were pinned to the wall in the corridor of your boss’s company by Lee Donghyuck himself?” Jeno’s spoon had become one with the food in the bowl, it was long gone when Mark had started to tell him about his brief encounter with the dreamy model himself. “And you decided to wait until dinner to tell me?” Mark laughed as he watched Jeno get constantly more infuriated, “I’m your best friend! I’m one call away not three and a half hours of radio silence.” 

Mark shrugged, “I just like seeing you get jealous in person.” With that comment, Jeno scoffed and moved a seat away from Mark, sighing. “You didn’t get far.” 

“Shut up.” He mumbled, taking a spoonful of his pumpkin soup. “I can’t believe that Lee Donghyuck actually held the photos I had the chance to hold! Can you believe that?” He had that dreamy look in his eyes, “Gosh, he was always the cutest in those summer pictorials.” 

“I get it! You’re a massive fanboy!” Mark whined as he pulled out the photos from a small pocket in his jacket and then threw them onto the table. Jeno was surprised as he looked at them, “These are the ones he saw.” As Jeno looked over the photos, he was a bit confused when he saw a familiar one not in the pile. 

“Where’s that one of him?” Jeno asked, sifting through the photos. 

“What one?” Mark asked, confused. 

“The one where he was dancing? He had a big smile on his face?” Jeno said and Mark had noticed the same thing. Earlier he had five photos and now he had four? He tried to look through the pocket of where he had shoved all of them but there was nothing. 

“I have no idea where it went? I know I took it with me!” Mark sighed, leaning his head back. He only had one job to keep all the photos together in case another publishing outlet reached out to him but there was a scared thought that wondered if Kun had picked it up. What if it fell in the hallway when Donghyuck spoke to him? What if he had left it on Johnny’s desk? “You know, it’s probably in my portfolio.” He said reassuring himself.

“You want to hope so! That photo was amazing, Mark. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so happy in a paparazzi photo before?” 

“Neither have I.” Mark whispered. If he really did lose that photo he was beyond screwed. It didn’t have his credit or his watermark which meant anyone could take it to the nearest publisher and get his hard deserved money. Those bottom feeding vultures would snatch at any opportunity to profit off someone they hardly didn’t know. They’d pay anything to have someone as influential as Lee Donghyuck on the front page of their sucky magazines. 

✰

Mark had woken up to the perfect view of the New York skyline and the normal ambience that came with the morning peak hour traffic. Although this morning was different, he had this calm feeling of serenity run through his veins. Usually he’d rush out the door with half of a toast held in his mouth with both shoelaces untied - time went slowly. 

He got himself showered, picked out some casual shirt and a pair of blue jeans - nothing special. Followed his routine of putting bread in the toaster, dancing his way to the fridge to get the butter and struggling to find the remote to the television. Wedged in between the sofa’s gap, he found the small remote and pointed it to the television. The same annoying news hosts bickered back and forth about fuel prices and traffic standstills while Mark danced his way back over to the kitchen. He’d headbang as if he was in a well-known band trying to hype up the crowd. He’d also spin himself around using the countertop with a huge smile on his face - it wasn’t often he got to really enjoy the morning fun. 

Soon enough after he had started to eat the toast, he felt like he wanted orange juice so just as he reached his hand on the handle - he heard something come from the television. 

_“Lee Donghyuck’s latest photograph by ametur photographer, Mark Lee has gained the attention of international modeling agencies and photo agencies.”_

“I’m sorry, what?” Mark asked himself, taking out the bread from his mouth and moving closer to the television. On the screen was the photo. The fifth photo that was missing when Jeno and him looked through last night at dinner. It was on the morning news for everyone in New York to see. “T-that’s mine?” He smiled, reaching his hand out towards the photo of his boy smiling brightly and dancing around the front of the venue. “Holy shit, that’s fucken mine!” He laughed, jumping around the living room. Yelling at the top of his lungs and jumping off of their couch, Mark ran laps around the living room with the biggest smile on his face and a bundle of energy to keep him going. 

_“Keep an eye out baby.” Donghyuck whispered, walking away backwards from their little run in. He blew a kiss from where he was further down the hall before he turned and strutted off around the corner._

“That little fucker.” Mark whispered, pulling his hair back as the excited feeling finally caught up with him. He was filled with adrenaline and he felt like he was unstoppable. Is this what it felt like when all your hard work paid off? Because if it was, he felt like he was floating on top of cloud nine. 

✰

“Mark, can I speak with you for a moment?” A person had caught up to where he was walking down the street. He had found that after the morning news that heaps of people were coming up to congratulate and offer business deals to him. This person wasn’t any different, it was just someone trying to exploit his talents like every other kid in this industry. 

“I’m in a bit of a rush at the moment.” Mark had said, trying to dodge his way through the people walking head on towards him. He didn’t want to be rude nor did he want to come off as not being open to opportunities but this? It was all too overwhelming for someone like him - someone who wanted to hide behind the camera. 

“Look kiddo, opportunities like this don’t come up every once in a while and I think you’d be perfect for what I’m asking you to do.” The man said, holding the boy’s shoulder to stop him from moving with the pedestrian traffic around them. Mark gave him a look before he glanced at the hand on his shoulder. “Oh, I’m sorry.” He apologised at least. 

“Okay, what exactly is this opportunity?” Mark asked. 

“Lee Donghyuck is one of my clients. For years, we’ve been trying to find someone who captures his personality into the photos. We always thought it was him and his lack of experience but after seeing your photos? I’m led to believe it was the photographers we hired.” Donghyuck was struggling? It wasn’t a bad thing but Mark had always thought for someone so fresh within the limelight and rush of the industry, he sure knew how to cope with the stress. 

“So, you want me to be Lee Donghyuck’s personal photographer?” 

“Exactly! So, what do you say?” The man said but Mark knew better to take a rash decision on the spot. 

“I’m not too sure at the moment. Do you mind if I take some time to think over the offer and then I can get back to you?” He said, “If you have a business card, it’d be much easier to contact you.” Soon enough, the business card of Kim Doyoung was in his precious little hands. 

“Take care Mark! I look forward to hearing from you soon.” Doyoung said as he was swept away into the traffic of the people in a rush. Mark looked down at the card and smiled. This was one step closer to the very thing he’d dreamed about ever since he was younger. With this offer, he could be a full-time professional photographer as well as an on the side hireable paparazzi. He'd be well off, have a stable job and most importantly work alongside one of his many muses. 

He couldn’t have been the only one who wanted this, right? Donghyuck must’ve really liked his work if he made it blow-up this much within the public eye. Maybe he wanted to work with him again after he saw the photos? Mark didn’t even know where his thoughts were heading but he knew his dream was right in front of him and no one, and he meant no one was going to rip that opportunity away from him. Nobody was going to steal his Donghyuck from him. Qian Kun might’ve won the eye of Johnny but Mark Lee had just won the eye of the entire world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please feel free to leave your thoughts, kudos or bookmark if you'd like! ♡♡  
> i hope this second chapter wasn't too long of a wait !! although it's finally here :]  
> please continue to look after yourselves and stay optimistic!
> 
> love always, rein ♡
> 
> [ twitter! ](https://twitter.com/reniewrites)  
> [ curious cat! (cc) ](https://curiouscat.me/reniewrites)


End file.
